Swiveled wheel brake



Nov. 10, 1931.

H. T. LAMBERT SWIVELED WHEEL BRAKE Original Fi-led Jan. 3 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR H .TLamb r/,

fl ATTORNEY Original application filed January 25, 1928, Serial No. 249,331. Divided and this application filed men Patented Nev. 10,. 1931 PATENT om n HOMER '1. LAMBERT, OF HUNTINGTON, VIRGINIA SWIVELEI) WHEEL BRAKE 22, 1930. Serial N0. 438,222.

This invenion relates to improvements in brake mechanism for the steering carrier wheels of vehicles, such as automobiles and like self-propelled vehicles, and more particularly to brake mechanism especially ,designed and adapted for application to swiveled wheels embodying my invention as set forth in my co-pending application Serial No. 249,331, filed January 25, 1928, of which this application is a division.

Among the objects in view are the combining of maximum efficiency with ease and facilitv of access, dependable responsiveness,

1 and freedom from interference with the steering action of the swiveled wheels.

- With these and other objects in view as will in part hereinafter become apparent and in part be stated, the invention comprises brakmg means mounted outward beyond the end of the axle to which the Wheel is swiveled, and also includes the mounting of such braking means outward beyond the hub of the wheel.

The present invention also comprehends the provision of a cap for the hub of a 'swiveled wheel and the location of braking means within the cap outward beyond the tion of the wheel.

end of the axle and the swiveled hub thereof on which the wheel is ournaled.-

The invention also includes, in a structure such as above described, means for actuating the braking means located inward of the wheel and having a swiveled connection with the braking means having the axis of said swiveled connection co-incident with the axis of the swivel of the wheel.

The invention further includes in a structure as last above described, the location of the connecting means between the brake and the inner actuator therefor with the longitudinal axis of such connecting means substantially coincident with the axis of rota-- The invention comprises certain other novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts as will be subsequently specified and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,-

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a swiveled wheel and: braking mechanism incorporating an embodiment of the present invention, the section being taken on a plane substantially along the axis of rotation of the wheel, parts being shown in elevation.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the connecting means for the brake actuator detached, and having the parts segregated for clearness of disclosure, arts being broken away;

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 1 taken at right angles to the plane of the section of Figure 1, being a horizontal section, and parts being seen in plan.

Figure 4 is a sectionalplan of the parts seen in Figures 1 and 3, parts bemg broken away and shown in section for disclosing in- Figure 6 is a vertical section taken on the plane indicated by line 6-6 of Flgure 3,

form of concrete application of which is the front axle of an automobile. Axle 10, however, preferably diflt'ers somewhat in shape at its end portions from the conventional axle, and difi'ers radically in manner of anchorage in that the swiveled connection with the supporting wheel at each end of the axle is effected without the employment of a stub axle. However, as the novel features,-combinations, and details of construction relath ing to the swiveled mounting of the supporting wheel have been made the subject matter of claim in my above-identified parent application, desc'rlption thereof is made in full only for setting forth clearly thecooperative and combinative relation of the braking means with respect to such parts. It will also be understood that the two end portions of axle 10 are duplicates of each other, and the description of one equally applies to the other. The end portion 11 of axle 10 is offset at an angle to the' main body of the axle, so that the portion 11 extends substantially horizontally and has a free end exposed outwardly and an abrupt shoulder exposed inwardly. The portion 11 is bored axially throughout its length to form a passageway 12 having at its outward portion an enlargement 13, the inward portion of the passageway 12 being preferably cylindrical while the outward portion 13 is polysided, and one convenient form is rectangular in cross section.

The outer or free end portion 27' of the" axle section 11 is formed with upper and i eled hub. The upper and lower bearing faces of the free terminal portion 27 of section 11 are preferably provided with a cover plate 36 of bearing metal, which is preferably extended in the form of a lining 38 within the respective pockets 14 and 15. The parts 36 and 38 serve as bushings and are renewable to take up excess wear.

The swiveled hub 26 is formed, as clearly seen in Figure 3, with an axial opening to accommodate the free end portion 27 of section 11, the said axial opening having lateral enlargements 102 to permit the hub to swing freely upon its pivots 30 and 33 without interruption by the axle section 11. At the inner end of the swiveled hub 26, the peripheral portion is extended to provide an outstanding peripheral flange, which flange is turned to form a horizontal flange 25, and the outer face of the flange 25 provides a short cylindrical surface at the inner end of the swiveled hub 26, and the outer end of the hub is engaged by an annulus 122 which is detachably connected in any appropriate manner, as by being threaded onto the hub. The swiveled hub 26 is provided with a cylindrical, peripheral surface between the annulus 122 and the flange 25, and engaging such peripheral surface and resting edgewise respectively against the annulus 122 and the flange 25 are bearing raceways on which are mounted any appropriate anti-friction bearings 21 and 22 so located as to stress the raceways apart.

An appropriate wheel 16 may be and pre- 1 ferably is of a popular conventional type,

and is fixed by bolts 18 to a flange outstanding from a hub 17 which is in the form of a shell adapted to be located to surround :and

be spaced from the swiveled hub 26, and because the hub shell 17 is an immediate part of wheel 16, the said hub will be hereinafter briefly identified as the wheel hub. The Wheel hub 17 includes a radially inwardlyextending partition flange 20 located substantially in the median line of the hub and in planes between the bearings 21 and 22. Bearing raceways are located within andengage the inner surface of the wheel hub 17 in position to edgcwise abut against the opposite faces of the partition flange 20 and to engage the bearings 21 and 22 in a manner tending to stress the last-mentioned raceways toward engagement with flange 20. Thus, wheel 16 is rotatively mounted on swiveled hub 26 and through that mounting is swiveled to the axle 10. As a means of excluding dust and other foreign matter and of retaining lubricant, a cover ring 23 is preferably detachably fixed to the wheel hub 17, as by bolts 123. The ring 23 extends inward from hub 17 and is pref erably alined with the outwardly-extending portion of flange 25. The ring 23 extends inward to contac" with the peripheral surface of flange 25, and extending laterally from the exposed face of ring 23 is a flange 24 having an inwardly-turned flange portion extending to the cylindrical surface of flange 25. An annular chamber 119 is thus rovided by the flange 24, the innermost edge portion of ring 23, and the cylindrical surface of flange 25. Felt or other absorbed, fibrous material 120, preferably saturated with lubricant. is disposed in chamber 119. Thus, the bearings for hub 17 are sealed against loss of lubricant or access of foreign matter.

Guiding studs 41, 41 are provided with threaded inner end portions threaded into and extending axially outward from the swiveled hub 26. Obviously, studs 41 may be otherwise detachably fixed to the hub. As seen in Figure 7, four of the studs 41 represent a convenient number appropriately spaced, but, of course, a greater or less number may be employed and otherwise spaced as desired. The exposed portions of the studs 41 are smooth to serve as supports and guides for a brake member 46 which is preferably in the form of a disc. Appropriate bushings 50 preferably line the passageways in disc 46 for the studs 41 and snugly engage the studs. Spaced inward from the braking disc 46 is a cooperating braking disc 40, which latter disc is anchored to the swiveledhub 26 by the stud bolts 41 whose threaded portions extend through the disc 40 into the body of the swiveled hub 26. An appropriate shoulder, such as a. hexagonal tool-receiving part is preferably formed on each stud 41 at the. outer terminus of the threaded portion, so that the said shoulder engages the outer face of the disc 40 and clamps the disc to the outer face of the swiveled hub 26 when the stud is threaded home. The disc 46 is preferably a braking position when released.

Sliding'ly' mounted in the bore 12 is an operating bar or rod 60 having a head 70 of the same polysided cross section as that of the enlarged portion 13 of the bore, and proportioned to snugly fit therein while free to slide. The outer end portion of the head 70 is bifurcated to provide ears 71 formed with alined apertures 73, and a pin 76 is provided with an eye 75 at its inner end arranged to have the opening 74 of the eye alined with the openings 73, the parts being secured together by an appropriate pintle 72. Thus pin 76 is free to swing la orally while maintaining its engagement with the draw bar or rod 60, and it is to be observed that the rod 60 is proportioned and located to have the axis-of pivotal movement of pin 76 substantially coincident with the axis of the swiveling of wheel 16. Naturally, with reciprocal movement of rod 60 the location of the pintle 72 will be varied, but such variation is sutficiently slight not to interfere with the approximate coincidence of the axes of mov e ment, and, therefore, not to interfere with the successful swinging of bolts 76 without bin ding. As best seen in Figures 3 and 5, the

. free or outer end of the enlarged portion 13 of bore 12 opens through the end of the axle section 11, and'at such end is enlarged laterally for a portion of its height to provide lateralguideways 80 and 81 into which the pm or bolt 76 may be swung incident to steering movements of the swiveled wheel 16.

The outer portion of the pin or bolt 76 extends through the discs 40 and 46. Appropriate openings are, of course, formed in the discs for the passage of the pin 76, as, for instance,

- the opening 79 is formed centrally in disc 46 to snugly receive the pin. Theouter terminus of the pin 76 is provided with threads 77, which are engaged by a nut 78in position to have the-inner face of the nut rest against the outer face of the disc 46, and thus enable an inward thrust of rod to draw the brakedisc 46 bodily, axially inward.

A hub cap 51 is located outward of the parts described, and includes a cylindrical drum 47 which extends to and contacts with the flange 19 and is preferably flanged radially to be engaged and detachably secured to flange 19 by the bolts 18. A braking ring 44 is carried by drum portion 47 of hub cap 51 and located between the brake discs 46' and terior diameter to accommodate the studs 41 and other interposed devices between the discs 40 and 46 without contact with any of said devices, andv though the part 44 is distinctively an annulus, because of its similarity to corresponding parts of a disc clutch, the said annulus may be hereinafter referred to as a disc. The outer margin of the annulus 44 terminates in lateral flanges 82'forming a T-head in cross section for the disc or annulus 44, and the diameter of said T-head is sufficiently great to allow the discs 40 and 46 to lie within the flanges 82. The annulus 44 is resiliently stressed toward a non-braking position, that is, outward, by appropriate springs 91 which may have any of various convenient and appropriate forms of construction and arrangement, an acceptable form consisting of providing a series of axially extended recesses in the T-head of the annulus 44 with the recesses opening at the inner edge of said T-head, and with the springs 91 located in the recesses and reacting against the flange 19 to stress the annulus 44 outward. Plungers 90 are also preferably arranged in said recesses and interposed between the springs 91 and the contiguous face of the flange 19 to directly engage said flange and thus enable the reactive stress of springs 91 to be expressedas an outward pressure on the annulus 44. The drum portion 47 of the hub cap is formed with a plurality of radially extended, transverse slots 85, and the annulus 44 is provided with a corresponding number of radially extending lugs 84 proportioned to snugly fit and slidingly engage said slots for'permitting the annulus 44 to have free axial bodily movement while being locked to rotate with the hub cap 51 and wheel 16.

- As will become obvious from an understanding of the operation of the parts, the annulus 44 is optionally mounted to shift axially and might well be otherwise mounted if the braking disc 40 were not employed, and the entire braking done bythe action of the disc 46. Appropriate brake linings 43 and 45 are preferably provided for the annulus 44 and secured thereto in any well known manner, as by the use of hollow rivets 121,

or the like. The annulus 44 is preferably dicated respectively at 42 and 48. v

T o facilitate access to the nut 7 8, the hub cap 51 is preferably centrally apertured, at a 52, and provided with a threaded outstandins boss 53 engaged by the threaded cap 54. The inner end portion of the operating thread 61, and for purposes of increased purchase (notwithstanding the high pitch of draw rod'60 is provided with a high pitched the thread) plural threads are preferably employed, and the threaded portion 61 is engaged by an operating nut 62 extending into. the inner end portion of bore 12 and having a conical outer portion 63 providing at its outer end a shoulder abutting the inner end or shoulder of section 11 of axle 10 for resisting longitudinal outward travel of nut 62 whereby, when nut 62 is rotated in adirection for moving outward along rod 60, instead of the nut travelling outward, the saidrod is caused to shift inward responsive to theaction of the nut and against the action of springs 55 and 91. A crank arm 66 is provided and has its end portion formed with a conical opening proportioned to snugly fit the cone 63 for enabling manipulation of the nut 62 by the swinging of the crank arm 66. To insure movement of nut 62 withcrank arm 66, an interlocking, toothed engagement 64, as seen best in Figure 3, may be provided between the arm and come. The inner extremity of nut 62 is externally threaded and engaged by a nut 68 which clamps the comically-aperture portion of crank arm 66 into a driving fit engagement with the cone 63 and retains the same in such relation. A draw bar 67 engages the free end portion of crank arm 66 and extends to'the usual operating lever, such as a foot lever, not illustrate While, of course, the braking mechanism, and particularly the braking surfaces, may function effectively in a dry condition, the power with which the braking disc 46 clamps the annulus 44 against the braking disc 40 is sufficient to assure efiective clamping action even when the parts are lubricated, and it is, therefore, entirely feasible to supply lubri cant, as indicated at- 83, in Figure 1, to a liquid level sufliciently high to insure bathing theanti-friction bearin s 21 and 22 at the lower part of the hub 1 as the hub revolves. Lubricant will thus be lifted and distributed about the bearings during the course of operation. To provide lubrication for the pintles 30 and 33, appropriate ports and passages may be formed, as, for example, a port 127, as seen in full lines in Figure 3and in dotted lines in Figure 6, may be caused to intercommunicate the pockets 14 and 15, and will, of course, extend through the bushings to allow access of lubricant between the relatively moving parts.' A plug 128 will normally close the upper end of port 127,- and may be readily removed for cleaning the port,

as desired. Each of pintles 30 and 33 is provided with an axial bore 125, seen in dotted lines in Figure 1, having cross ports 130 at the ends within the pockets 114 and 115,, the opposite ends of said ports 125 opening through theouter ends of the respective parts 31 and 34 and the uppermost port 125 is preferably enlarged at its upper end so as to receive lubricant draining from the bearings wardly from the inner end of and preferably formed integral with the swiveled hub 26.

It is believed that the operation of the structure will be apparent from the foregoing, and may be briefly stated to consist of the following:

The steering of the vehicle is accomplished by the swiveling of the wheels 16 on their pintles, but such swiveling movement will not interfere with the effective action of the brake. When the brake is to be applied, pressure on the foot lever, or other actuator. not

illustrated, causing a longitudinal pull on the draft rod 67, produces a swing of crank arm 66 and a resulting angular advance or oscillation of nut 62 whic effects an axial pull and thrust of rod 60. The movement of the rod 60 imparts corresponding movement to "the pin 76, notwithstanding any angular relation of the pin to the rod out of axial alinement therewith, and the pull thus exerted will effect a bodily, axial'shifting of the brake disc 46 in an inward direction. This movement of disc 46 first shifts annulus or disc 44 axially to engagement with disc 40, and then, as the axial pressure increases, causes braking friction both between the disc 44 and disc 40 and between disc 44 and disc 46 until movement of the wheel 16 is either retarded to the required degree or stalled. Release of the pressure on the draw bar 67 will effect release of the braking action, it being, of course, assumed that an externally arranged .retractile spring, not I shown, will be connected toreturn the draw bar 67 tothe non-braking position. With the relaxation of'the parts, the springs 55 and 91 will cause the discs 46 and 44 respectively to move axially outward to the nonbraking position Where they will remain un-' der the expanding pressure of said springs until another braking action. Unseating of the nut' 62 in its engagement with the inner face or shoulder of the axle section 11 is avoided with the return or release movement by virtue of the returnaction of spring 55.

It is to be noted that the nuts of bolts 18 are exposed at the outer face of the wheel 16 in an especially accessible location, so that they may beeasily removed and replaced.

When said nuts are removed, the cap 51 may be readily withdrawn axially, and the brake parts will thus be exposed and rendered accessible for cleaning, replacement, and relining or other repair. After removal of the cap 51,

the brake discs 46 and 44.- may be easily withdrawn axially by merely removing nut 78 from pin 7 6 and removing the cotter pins or other detents from the studs 41. When discs 46 and 44 have been removed, disc 40 may be readily removed by unscrewing the studs 41 from the swiveled hub 26. Upon removal of all these parts, hub 17 will still be retained in operative position by the bearings 21 and 23,

their raceways and cooperating parts. It is,

however, only necessary to unscrew the ring nut 122 to enable lateral withdrawalof said bearing parts and with them hub 17 and wheel 16. All these parts may bereadily restored by a converse assemblage.

It is important, of course, that the pintles -or trunnions30 and 33 be retained during operation against variation in location and at the same time to enable assemblage and dis mantling of the parts, said trunnions must be detachably mounted. Such detachable mounting may be effected in any of numerous ways, the form illustrated consisting of the employment of threaded engagement of parts, and, in order to prevent possibility of.

even. slight dislocation, keys 126 are employed and set in registering slots in the respective threaded bolts 31 and 34 and in adjacent portions of the swiveled hub 26. When the parts are assembled, one of the bearing raceways surrounds that part of the periphery of swiveled hub 26 through which is exposed the ends of the keys 126, and said keys are, therefore, effectively tied against dislocation.

The-enlargement at the outer end of the oil passage 125, while serving with respect to the upper trunnion30 as a more efi'ective receptacle for the draining oil, in each instance is preferably square or otherwise polysided to serve as a socket for receiving an appropriate tool for threading the part into place and for removing it.

The construction and assemblage shown in the drawings and set forth herein lends itself effectively to the application of apparatus for delivering power to the wheel 16, as

indicated in detail in my co-pending application.

What is claimed is 1. In brake mechanism for swiveledwheels, the combination, with an axle and a wheel journaled on and swiveled thereto, of braking means for the wheel including braking surfaces located outward beyond the end of the axle.

2. Brake mechanism as claimed in claim 1 and means inward of the wheel for operating said braking means.

3. Brake mechanism as claimed in claim 1 and means inward of the wheel for operating said braking means, the connection between the braking means and said operating means extendin throughthe axle.

4. In raking mechanism for swiveled Wheels, the combination, with an axle and a wheel journaled on and swiveled thereto, of braking means for the wheel located outward beyond the end of the axle, and means inward of the wheel for operating said braking means, the connection between the braking means and said operating means extending through the axle and lying coincident with in brake mechanism, the combination,

with an axle and a wheel rotatably mounted on and siwiveled to the axle, of braking means outward of the wheel and outward beyond the end of the axle, means for operating said braking means engaging the same and extending inward beyond the inner face of the wheel, and leverage means inward of the wheel engaging said operating means for actuating the same.

?. Brake mechanism as claimed in claim 6 till in which the braking means includes cooperating braking discs.

8. Brake mechanism as claimed in claim 6 in which the braking means'includes cooperating braking discs and the operating means engages one of the discs to shift the same axially toward the other.

9. Brake mechanism as claimed in claim 6 in which the braking means includes cooperating braking discs and the operating means engages one of the discs to shift the same axially toward the other, and cushioning means stressing said discs apart.

10. In brake mechanism for swiveled wheels, combination, with an axle and a wheel journaled on andswiveled to the axle, the wheel having a hub, of braking means for the wheel located outward beyond the end of,

the axle, and a cap for the hub enclosing said braking means.

11. In brake mechanism for swiveled wheels, the combination, with an axle and a wheel journaled on and swiveled to the axle,

the wheel having a hub, of braking'means for the wheel located outward beyond theend of the axle, a cap for thehub enclosing said braking means, and means for detachably securing said hub cap to said wheel.

12. In brake mechanism for swiveled wheels the combination, with an axle having an angularly ofi'set portion providing an inward shoulder and a free end, and a wheel journaled and swiveled to the free end poring means outward of and beyond the axle.

tion of said ofiset portion of the axle, of brakand wheel, and means engaging the said shoulder of theaxle for operating the braking means. v a

13. Brake mechanism as claimed in claim 12 in which the operating means includes a draw bar extending longitudinally of said ofl'set portion of the axle and having an operating engagement with the braking means.

14. Brake mechanism as claimedin claim 12 in which the operating means includes a draw bar extending longitudinally of said ofi'set portion of the axle and having an operating engagement with the braking means, said draw bar beingv located substantially coincident with the axis of rotation of the wheel. I V

15. Brake mechanism as claimed in claim 12 in which the operating means includes a draw bar extending longitudinally of said ofl'set portion of the axle, and having an operating engagement with the braking means,

said draw bar being located substantially .coincident with the axis of rotation of the wheel, the operating engagement with the braking means having a swiveled connection with the draw bar to move on an axis substantially coincident with the axis of the swivel of the wheel.

In testimony whereof I aflix m signature.

HOMER T. L ERT. 

